Futures Game - Game Thread

[Steve4192]

me too, but he had a blister, so I think that kept him from throwing any.

I don't buy it.

A blister is going to stop you from snapping off a tight slider or split-finger pitch, but it wouldn't have any impact on your ability to throw a changeup, and it shouldn't have too much impact on throwing a curveball. Homer could have mixed in a few changeups and even thrown a couple of curveballs off the plate just to show the hitters some different speeds.

He was out there 'throwing', not 'pitching'. It seems pretty obvious that he doesn't have a lot of confidence in his changeup and that he reverts to 'thrower mode' when he is off his game. That ain't gonna get it done against major leaguers.

[cincy09]

maybe we all need to relax a little bit; it was just an All-Star game

[KoryMac5]

All Star games are about trying to impress the fans not learning how to pitch. 96 and 97 mph fastballs poppin that mitt gets the ooohhs and the ahhhhs flowin, along with some testosterone.

[lollipopcurve]

it shouldn't have too much impact on throwing a curveball

If he had a blister, chances are it was from the curve. That's how Beckett was getting his blisters, I think.

[Aronchis]

I don't buy it.

A blister is going to stop you from snapping off a tight slider or split-finger pitch, but it wouldn't have any impact on your ability to throw a changeup, and it shouldn't have too much impact on throwing a curveball. Homer could have mixed in a few changeups and even thrown a couple of curveballs off the plate just to show the hitters some different speeds.

He was out there 'throwing', not 'pitching'. It seems pretty obvious that he doesn't have a lot of confidence in his changeup and that he reverts to 'thrower mode' when he is off his game. That ain't gonna get it done against major leaguers.

I don't buy your arguement. It is a all-star game, he popped a blister, he hit 98mph. When was the last time a 20 year old Reds prospect threw that kind of heat? Yeah, he was "throwing", but being that he hasn't pitched just by "throwing" in AA, I don't see the problem. I think some of us need to relax a little bit and come to understand Bailey needs some maturity and refinement. He will only be 21 years old next year.

[Redhook]

I just watched Bailey pitch (DVR) for the first time. Obviously, he has some serious upside. I would've loved to have seen just one curveball or changeup from him today. Yes, he had a blister, but how does that stop him from throwing an off-speed pitch? After watching him pitch today, I'm convinced he's not close to being major league ready. I thought he was closer than that, but he won't be up here until late 2007, which is fine. He's very impressive, but not quite ready.

[IslandRed]

It was an exhibition game. He probably shouldn't have pitched at all with a bleeding blister. I'm not going to begrudge him sticking to fastballs to get through the appearance with as little damage and discomfort as possible.

[Buckeye33]

Anyone ever think that maybe the Reds front office told him and the managers of the game that they only wanted Bailey to throw fastballs? How pissed would everyone have been if Bailey snapped off a nasty curve for a K in this All-Star game and in the process snapped a ligament in his arm?

Just a thought.

[Redmachine2003]

He throws what his catcher calls for. Like they said the blister may have prevented him from having any feel for the offspeed stuff.

[Redhook]

Anyone ever think that maybe the Reds front office told him and the managers of the game that they only wanted Bailey to throw fastballs? How pissed would everyone have been if Bailey snapped off a nasty curve for a K in this All-Star game and in the process snapped a ligament in his arm?

Just a thought.

Must be a really nasty curve to snap a ligament. How many curveballs has Clemens and Schilling thown in their careers? Thousands and thousands. I agree that you might want to limit them early in a career, but you also need to develop a curveball and a changeup to be successful. Being scared of throwing them or being scared of getting hurt is a sad route to go, IMO. I doubt Bailey is scared to thrown one, but I also just watched him pitch 20 straight fastballs. I know the Reds have had trouble with young pitchers getting hurt, but not allowing them to learn how to pitch curveballs and changeups won't make them successful in the majors anyway.

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, I just don't see how a couple of curveballs out of 20 pitches is really going to hurt someone's arm. If it did hurt his arm, it was going to get hurt anyways, eventually.

[Buckeye33]

Must be a really nasty curve to snap a ligament. How many curveballs has Clemens and Schilling thown in their careers? Thousands and thousands. I agree that you might want to limit them early in a career, but you also need to develop a curveball and a changeup to be successful. Being scared of throwing them or being scared of getting hurt is a sad route to go, IMO. I doubt Bailey is scared to thrown one, but I also just watched him pitch 20 straight fastballs. I know the Reds have had trouble with young pitchers getting hurt, but not allowing them to learn how to pitch curveballs and changeups won't make them successful in the majors anyway.

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, I just don't see how a couple of curveballs out of 20 pitches is really going to hurt someone's arm. If it did hurt his arm, it was going to get hurt anyways, eventually.

I was simply stating that maybe that was the reasoning. He throws curves and changeups when he is pitching for his Reds team. I just think that in a exhibition game that means nothing, maybe they told him to pump fastballs.

I know Bailey isn't scared to throw a curve. As well, the Reds obviously want him to learn secondary pitches. They aren't telling him to not thorw off speed in real minor league games.

As far as it needing to be a nasty curve to hurt a ligament, it only takes one pitch to end a career. Fastball, curve, slider, doesn't matter. Again, not saying Bailey would have done that today, but why take the risk?

[toledodan]

so how did votto look?

[dougdirt]

Votto looked good to me.

[Redsnake]

Tracy Jones take after the Reds game was, great fastball but he after seeing him he is at least 1 year and 2 months away from being called up. After watching the Future game I have to agree with that completely!!

[dougdirt]

Of course people are going to guess he is further away than before, beucase no one saw him throw anything offspeed. Was it because of the blister? Dunno.